Tag Archives: minor

Brandeis Associate Professor and Chair of the Brandeis Anthropology Dept., Javier Urcid, will be teaching two classes this summer. Prof. Urcid will be teaching ANTH 5a: Human Origins and ANTH 116a: Human Osteology. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Prof. Urcid studies the development of ancient complex societies in Mesoamerica: the origin and societal functions of early writing, political economy and settlement patterns, and the social and ideological dimensions of mortuary practices.

3 new classes have been added to Summer 2012!

BIOL 172b – Growth Control and Cancer with Justin DoreM, T, W, Th 9:00 – 10:50 AMSummer Session I: May 29 to June 29, 2012
Requirements Fulfilled: sn
This course covers the fundamental rules of behavior of cells in multicellular organisms. We will examine cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern cell growth, and differentiation and survival in normal cells, as well as how this regulation is disrupted in cancer.

JOUR 89a – Contemporary Media: Internship and Analysis with Maura Jane FarrellyExtended Summer Session: May 29 to August 3, 2012
Prerequisite: AMST 15a, 137b, or 138b
This course brings together students who are independently engaged in various media internships and provides an opportunity for them to exchange their experiences w

ith other students and to discuss and analyze related readings. Students will receive career guidance in the various communication fields and they will have an opportunity to practice job-hunting skills, such as resume and cover letter writing. Students who choose to satisfy the journalism minor’s internship option must take this course. Students should first contact Prof. Maura Jane Farrelly to discuss their proposed Internship, or for advice in finding an internship site.

HISP 104b – Peoples, Ideas, and Language of the Hispanic World with Jorge Arteta

M, T, Th 8:30 – 10:50 AM Summer Session I: May 29 to June 29, 2012
Requirements Fulfilled: hum, fl
Prerequisite: 30-level Spanish course or equivalent.
This course offers an opportunity to expand the participants’ linguistic skills in Spanish while simultaneously deepening their understanding of Hispanic culture. The main theme of the course is the history and ideas that shape the Spanish-speaking world, from its peninsular origins to the realities of Spanish-speakers in the Americas, including the United States.

The following topics will be studied throughout the course:

Concepts of identity and culture

Religion and mythology in the course of history

Dynamics of nation formation

Hispanic peoples, ideas and languages in the USA

Pertinent vocabulary and complex grammar not mastered in previous courses will be studied, contextualized and applied during the course as appropriate. Please note that most of the study of grammar will be assigned to be done outside of class, as well as the course manual’s activities. Students will improve their listening skills, as well as develop new strategies to acquire new vocabulary and carry out the following functions in Spanish: narrating, describing, giving out advice and recommendations, comparing and contrasting, expressing opinions and providing valid arguments.

We all know that the Brandeis students are of a completely different breed. We can all relate to each other for one reason or another – that main reason being our Brandeisian pride. Here is an unofficial guide to Brandeis courses:

INTERESTS:
First off, high school and college are extremely different. If you found that you did not particularly excel in something during your high school career, do not be turned off from this subject matter in college. Courses are taught differently and who knows, you may be avoiding a course that you would do really well in. It could be a potential major, minor, or career path to take after undergrad. It is also important to keep in mind that as much as your parents may want you to pursue an undergraduate degree in Art History, Biology, or Mathematics, this is your time to shine and find something that you are passionate in. If you choose a major or minor based off of what your parents want you could ultimately be stuck in a career that you do not enjoy.

SHOPPING PERIOD:
For those of you new to Brandeis, you may not fully understand the “Shopping Period” that we offer during the Fall and Spring semesters. The shopping period is self-explanatory, it is a two week period where you can try out different courses and see what you are most interested in or what fits your schedule best. No one wants to be stuck in a course that might drop his or her GPA. Also, why bother taking a course if you know that you won’t enjoy it and get all that you can out of it?

DON’T OVERWHELM YOURSELF:
Upon your arrival it may have appeared that every upperclassman had eight majors and sixteen minors. this is not the case! Some people are fortunate enough to have found different subject matters that interest them and they chose to pursue undergraduate degrees in those various subjects, but it is perfectly fine to only have one major. However, if you do find other courses that spark your interest, then take a few more classes in it. If you find that you can devote the time and energy into declaring a major or minor in it, then talk to your advisor and find out if he or she thinks it would be beneficial to you and your academic resumé.

BUILD A SPREADSHEET:
Organization is key. I have found that what helps me most is designing a spread sheet that clearly distinguishes each semester and the possible courses that are available and would fulfill my major, minor, and/or university requirements. This way, you don’t find yourself in your eighth semester begging a professor to let you into a class before you didn’t realize that you forgot a major/minor/university requirement somewhere along the way.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF SUMMER SCHOOL:
Granted, in high school, Summer School seemed like a punishment for those who didn’t necessarily do as well as they could/should have in a particular course. In College, the concept of Summer School is completely different. In fact, it might be the students that are more proactive in their studies who enroll in summer courses. People enroll for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you have an internship in Waltham, Boston, or the surrounding area. Perhaps you want to double major and you wouldn’t normally have enough time to complete all of the requirements in your seven or eight semesters at Brandeis. These are just a few of the many reasons why students partake in the Summer Program here at Brandeis University.

Be sure to subscribe to this blog to hear about more Summer School updates as well as Brandeis updates.

As an extension from the “Basic Guide to Courses for Brandeisians,” here are some helpful tips for mastering Brandeis Summer School:

1. Browse early! Even though Registration does not open until early April, take the next few weeks to figure out what type of course you are looking for. Whether, it is to fulfill a major or minor requirement, University requirement, or a you just want to knock out some extra credits over the summer, there are plenty of courses to choose from!

2. Talk with an advisor! There is no time like the present to declare a major or minor. It is not set in stone until a certain point in your undergraduate career. You might as well see what an advisor or department head has to say about your ideal course sequence. Perhaps he or she has some suggestions for you to get a better understanding of a major or minor if you are currently on the fence.

3. Remember, there’s no shopping period for Summer Courses. Since the Summer Calendar is much more compact, this leaves little to no room for experimenting with different courses. If you enroll in a course, be sure that it is the one you want to take.

4. Do not fall behind with deadlines. If you keep pushing back your work, more and more tasks will pile up leaving an overwhelmingly large to-do list.

5. Talk with students who have taken Summer Courses in the past. See what they thought about the work environment, work load, professors, and their overall thoughts about Brandeis in the Summer.

6. Work out the financials. As college students, we all know that it is great to have a little extra pocket money for our extravagant expenses. Do you need a paid summer internship? This could play a huge role when deciding to take summer courses and if so, which module.

7. Need to do an internship for a major or minor? Check out the Brandeis Summer Internship opportunities!

8. Transfer/Midyear/Abroad? If any of these apply, make sure you will have enough credits to graduate on time. Credits should not be the reason why anyone does not walk with his or her class.

9. What about housing? Brandeis University offers housing for undergraduate students, but if you would prefer to live off campus, there are many rooms that are available for sublets.

10. If choosing to enroll in Summer Courses, remember to keep things in perspective! You can still enjoy the Summer weather, beaches, and barbecues, but you decided to come to the University to learn and satisfy requirements.

All in all, remember to have fun! College is one of the best times of your life. Take in all the knowledge that you are receiving and start each day with a breath of fresh air! At times it may seem tough, but we all got into Brandeis some how. You can do it and do it well!